Sound-reproducer.



R. B. SMITH. SOUND RBPRGDUGEB. APPLIUATIGH FILED 00T. 1,`19o.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WIT/VE SES y- 4* A TORNEYS R. B. SMITH. SOUND BEPRODUCER.

uPLIoATroN rrLnn ooT. 1, 190s.

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UND-RE PRQDUGIR.

Specification of Lettera Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1909.

Application filed October 1, 1908. Serial No. 465,778.

To all whmn it may concern.:

Be it known that I, RICHARD BAnTsoLo- MEW SMITH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of the citi;7 of New York, borough of Manhattan, in t 1e county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Sound-Reproducer, of which the following is a full, c ear, and exact deson' tion.

stylus levers in their respective mountings;

and 4. to simplify the construction and improve the general elicienc f of the same.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the views and in which- Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in` section, showing the reproduccr complete, as viewed from a point at the right of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and pnrtlv in elevation, showing the reproduccr complete as soon from a point at the left of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary inverted plan of the Ieproducer, showing the various stylus levers and their respective mountings Fig. 4 is a perspective showing the middle stylus lever, the universal joint by aid of which the lever is mounted, and the swinging bracket by aid of which the universal joint and the middle level are connected; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section :ipon the line 5--5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing internally the ".ottomof the casing together with the bottom weight, and means for connecting two of the diaphragms with the st lus levers associated resiectively with them; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through one of the swinging brackets provided with a fork used as a mounting for each of the stylus levare.

A casing is shown at 6, and is with sound (lorries 7, 8, 9, each having substantially the form of a cap provided internally with a concave lace 13, 14 and 15. I ind that by using these sound deines and giving them the form indicated there is less interference of the sound waves, and the quality of the sounds is greatly improved. The sound domes are provided with necks 10, 11 and 12, to which are to be secured branches leading to the sounding horns of the phonograph. Each sound dome is provided with a thin annular threaded portion 16, and encircled by these portions 16 respectively are the diaphragme 17, 19, 20, each held in position by .aid of a threaded ring 18, as will be understood from Fig. 2. Disposed at the bottom of the casing 6 and detaohably connected therewith is a ning 21 provided with a neck portion 23, which fits concentrically into the neck portion 22 of the casing. The ring 21 is provided with a flange 24 which normal] buts square] against the lower vedgeof t e neck 22, as wi be understood from Fig. 2. The ring 21 is slightly cut away at 25 so as to make room for some of the parts, and is provided internal] with a shelf 26 having a general annuprovided ing 27 attached to which is a weight 28. This weight in its entirety is in approximately circular form, but is 'provided with a slot 29 extending substantially across it, the two halves of the weight being simply held together b cross bars 30-31. A pivot 32 connects t e weight 28 with the bearing 27 and allows it to swin'g slightly under proper conditions.

Mounted integrally upon the edge of the ring 21 and depending there. below are two bearings 33, and mounted upon the shelf 26 and extending there -below are two pairs of bearings 34, 35. Journaled within the respective pairs of bearings 33, 34 and 35 are swinging brackets 36, 37, 38, the bracket 36 being shown in detail in Fig. 6 and the bracket 37 in Fig. 4. The bracket 36 is provided with lugs 39--40 integral therewith, and extending therefrom. J ournaled Within these lugs is a. stub shaft 41 and mounted upon the latter is a fork 42. A stylus lever 43 is mounted upon a stub shaft 44 w-ich is i'ournaled within the fork 42.

be of the usual or any preferred construction.

lar ornl. Mounted upon this shelf is a bean The stylus ever 43 carries a stylus jewel 45, which may A rod 46 connects the free end of the stylus lever 43 with an arm 47. The latter 1s 'mounted rigidly u on a shaft 47, and extending upwardly rom this shaft is another arm 47". A rod 48 connects the arm 47" with the diaphragm 19. A rod 49 1s connected with the diaphragm 17 and extends downwardl so as to engage the free end of the stylus lever 50. This stylus lever carries a stylus jewel 51, and is mounted upon a stub shaft 52, the latter being journaled within a fork 53. The swinging bracket 37 is rovided with lugs 54, 55. Journaled within the latter is a stub shaft 56, which is rigidly connected to the fork 53 so as to turn therewith. As the construction of the brackets 36 and 38 does not vary greatly from that of the bracki' 37, a good representative idea of each of these brackets may be obtained by inspection of the bracket 37 shown in Fig. 4.

It u ill be noted that the stub shaft 56 e} rtends in a general direction crossing the length of the shaft 52, but that the shaft 52 is not in the same lane as the shaft 56. This is because the for 53 extends at its bottom slightly to the left, according to Fig. A4. The ultimate purpose of this arrangement is to improve the quality of the sound, and also prevents the stylus needle 50 from jumping relatively to the record. With the parts arranged as here shown the sensitiveness of the entire construction is greatlyimproved. By thus placing the shafts 52V and 56 in different planes, the shaft 52 being intermediate the jewel 51 and the shaft 56, the stylus lever 50 appears to have greater freedom than when the parts are mounted otherwise. Hence the stylus lever has greater liberty to respond to vi ratory infiuences exerted upon and through the jewel 51. I have also found that placing?r the shaft 52 in a different,vertical lane r riction ofthe stylus needle 50. This is probably due to the increased freedom given t'o the stylus needle. The mechanical princi le here mvolved may be best understood by imagining that the fork 53 extends a considerable distance to the left accordin to Fig. 4. This much being assumed, it will be noted that a given movement of the outer or left hand portion of the fork relatively to the axis of the shaft shaft a lesser distance than would be the case if the fork 53 was very short, so that the axis of the shaft 52 coincided with the general axial direction of the shaft 56. In other words, by extending the fork 53 to the left so as to remove the shaft 52 away from the shaft 56 I virtually locate the shaft 52 at the long end of the lever virtually journaled upon the axis of the shaft 56. This un uestionably gives more movement to the sty us lever 50 in a horizontal direction, and in doing this xt likewise gives it more movement in a vertij cal directiondistv is,

om that of the shaft 56 reduces the 56 as a center' turns this in a plane coinciding with the axis of the shaft 56. Any freedom of the sty' Ps lever 50 which enables thejewel to follow path of less resistance relatively to the record must have a tendency to increase the freedom of movement ofthe st lus lever in planes independent of .that in W ch it receives its freedom initially. To state the same fact in a different Way, freedom of movement given to the stylus lever in a horizontal plane enables the jewel telit more accurately into the sound grooves, and in doing this the various elevations and depressions charac teristic of the sound grooves are better able to exert their vibratory effect in a vertical direction.

i. Another st lus lever 57 is provided with a jewel 58, andy is mounted upon a shaft 58, the .latter being journaled in a fork 58". This fork is mounted u on a stub shaft59, similar to the stub sha 56, this stub shaft being journaled between lulgs 59 similar to the lugs 54, 55 in Fig. 4. `T e st lus lever 57 is, therefore, mounted, by aid o the universaljoint, in substantially the manner already described with reference to ,the stylus lever 50. A plate 38 bracket.38, and carried u on this plate 38 is a weight 38". A guide ink 60 extends upwardly from the plate 38"4 and engages a staple 61 for the purp `due movement ofthe Weight 88". -A rod 62 is journaled in a head 57 a, see Figs. 1 and 4', and extends upwardl therefrom to a Weight 63. This weight is o substantially the same construction as the Weight 381 above dethe rod 62 the wei ht'63 presses the 38 downwardly. i rod 64 is connected With thestylus lever 57.* and extends upwardly therefrom, being journaled to an arm 64a. This arm is mounted rigidly u on a rocking shaft 65. -Extending upwar y from this rocking shaft is an arm 66 which is connected by a rod 66n to the dia hragm 20. The rec# ord is shown at 67, and) is engaged by three stylus needles which are disposed in tandem re atively to each other, as indio` ted relatively to Fig. 3, so that the various jewels carried by' the stylus needles other directly and in close succession in the groove. The operation of understood from the foregoing description. The parts being adjusted and the record 67 bemg given a rotary motion, the various groove of the record, the result beingfthat the three diaphragms are actuated at practically the same instant so that the sounds are greatly amplified. r[he concave form given to the inner surfaces of the sound domes greatly improves the effect. With this apparatus an ordinary record may be played many times in succession .without the jump#` is mounted rigidly upon the follow eachl y device may be readily jewels track behind each other in the sound se I ose of preventing unico scribed, and by pressing downwardlgr uplon rac et iis ist

`ingicf faisingle-stylus lever. Bhe meer yupon the record isireduced toaminimuin and over y factorgoing to makeup theigeneral sound we reduced appears `to bel impro ved.

tWill'be noted thatthe neeks'l, 11, 1.2 of theisound domes are-located in a plane which crosses the general directionof travel of the =rec0rd 6?. This arrangement is (if-considerable 'value in practice for the reason that the drag of the record upon the jewels carried `by thestyluslcvcrs is equalized in such manner that all the (iliaphrasgms are affected subst-antially alike. 'lbat is to say, the vibrations impressed upon the various stylus levers are so 'transmitted that neither diaphragm has any advantage over any other diaphragm in so far as one stylus lever being located ahead of another is concerned. For instance, as may be seen by comparing Figs. 2 and .3, the direction of travel of the record 67 being crosswise of the general plane of vibration of all of the diaphragms can not cause any accidental dragging ellect of the jewel upon the record to carry any diaphragm in the particular direction in which the record is trav'eh ing or in the op osite direction. This is simply because t 1e arms 47", 66 rock in planes which do not coincide with the plane representing the sound groove. Except fol:

this provision, the accidental dragging of the Jewe. wlthln the sound groove at any particular moment might directly influence the motions of the diaphragms because of a tendency for the sound groove to carry the stylus levers along with it as the record rotates.

In disposing the necks 1G, 1 l, l2 in thesarne plane, I also accomplish another advantage, to Wit, that the travel of the reproducer relatively easier, the unavoidable strain exerted b the branches u on thc necks 10, 11, 12, eing better equa ized und the tendency of the reroducer to skip parts ofthe record is there-- y greatly lessened.

in order to attain the practical advantages just stated, the arms 47, G4 are staggered relatively to each other, as will be understood from. Fig. 5, the arm 4T being locatedadjacent to one end of the shaft 47", whereas the arm 64 is near the opposite end of the shaft 65. W'hile this is the case, the rods 4S, 66" are in substantial alinement relatively to each other. rl his disposition of the parts enablcs the arms 47, 64 to bc spaced apart far enough to allow for the proper spacing' of the. three stylus levers relatively to each other and for the distribution of these levers in u. general plane 'crossing at right angles the plane occupied by the three necks it), ll, l2. hile l show as a representative form my device as applied to an ordinarv cylinder phonograph, I do not limit myself 1n doing this, as the invention may he used in various forms as the latter may suggest itself.

to the sound record is rendered much l sound record and provid Having thusdescriliie' lniy invention, what Iolaiin as new and desire to secure by 1Leiters Patent is:

'1. In'iatalkin machine, the combination of ii plurality ofV Jrackets, one bracket being Wider than another so as to partially incluse the same, and a plurality of stylus needles mounted upon said brackets, said stylus ncedles Vbeinf arranged in tandem for the purpose ol ollovvinpr each other in a record groove.

2. In a talking machine, the combination of a ilurelity oi swinging brackets, a pluridity ol stylus levers, i1 universal joint connecting one of said stylus levers with one ol' said brackets, cach of said universal joints comprising two shafts occupying different planes f or the purpose of increasing the freedom of movement of the stylus needle associated ithercwitln the several stylus needles being arranged in'tnndem for the purpose of follow? ing each other in u. record groove.

3. 1n a talking machine, thc combination of a plurality of swinging brackets arranged in tandem relatively to each other, a fork journaled upon each bracket and extendin, r outwardly therefrom, a stylus lever journaled in cach fork and free to rock in a plane coinciding with the axis of thel revolution of axes of the bracket beinfnr further from the axis of said bracket than the distance of the rocking anis from the fork associated with said bracket is from the rocking axis of said l bracket, said stylus levers being arranged in tandem for the purpose of following each other in a record groove.

4. ln a talking machine, the combination of a revoluble sound record, aplurality of sw'ingingbraekets, a plurality of stylus levers connected with said brackets and arranged in tandem to each other in u` plane coinciding with the direction of travel ol said rcvoluble sound record, and universal joints connecting said brackcls nith said stylus lcvcrs for the purpose ol increasing the inde* pcndcnce ol' said stylus levers.

5. In a talking machine, the combination of a casing` provided with a neck portion, a ring` provided with a portion iittinpr detachably into said neck portion, said. ring being provided with .bearings and with a liang'e for ciwaging saidncck portion, brackets Journu ed upon said bearings, and stylus levers mounted upon said brackets.

G. The combination of a casing provided with a neck portion, a ring provided with :t portion fitting into said neck port ion nand lu rther provided with a ihmge engaging sind neck ortion and serving a limiting stop for sind ring, stylus levers, and mechanism connecting,r said stylus levers with said ring. The combination of a rcvoluhle sound d adjacent to savjid ed with a plurality i. i record, a easing dispose said fork, thc distance between the rocking shaft being disposed adjacent to a particular 4. ocaso? I from the first mentioned arm located thereupon, and connected with a stylus lever.

v,9. The combination of a casing, diaphragms connected therewith, a plurality of 25 of necks disposed in a lane crossing the general direction of travei)of said record, a plurality of dia hragms mounted within said casing, each f iaphragm being disposed adjacent to one of said necks for the ur ose of'i` rocking shafts mounted Within said casing. a throwing sounds thereinto, a pliiira ity of rocking arm connected rigidly with each stylus levers, mechanism connected with rocking shaft, another rocking arm mounted said casing for su porting said stylus levers upon each rocking shaft but spaced apart and connections rom said stylus levers to l from said rstunentioned rocking arm ln a said diephru ms. general direction ulon the shaft, and con- 8. In a ta ing` machine, the combination l nected with said diap ragms, and connecof a casing, a plurality o diaphra ms mounti tions from said first-mentioned rocking arms ed therein, a plurality of roc ing shafts l to stylus levers. mountedv within Said casing, each rocking In testimony whereof I have signed myst name to this specification in the presence of' I two subscribing,r Witnesses;

RICHARD HARTHLOMEW SMITH.

Witnesses:

WAuroN HARRISON,

g EVERARD B. MARSHALL.

diaphragm wherewith it is associated, a plurality of arms one mounted upon each shaft, a connection from each arm to the particular diaphragm adjacent thereto, another arm l mounted upon each shaft but at a point spaced apart, along the axis of said shaft, 

